Saturday Summary #4

If anything, the last week has been mostly dominated by one book, and a book not yet even released. One thing's for sure: Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee will be the biggest release of the year on Tuesday. No surprise then that Foyles has a 'midnight event' planned (see you there?).

Blackwell's Oxford is offering - to us - a slightly less enticing "first person in the queue gets a free copy" set-up, but then we're more London night-owls than Oxford early birds perhaps.

Keeping with fiction, and Paula Hawkins The Girl on the Train saw it's 20th week at number one in the Original Fiction charts, topping 800,000 units in all formats in UK and Ireland and besting the 19 of Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol.

A good week too for Carys Davies, who won the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award. She took home €25,000  for  The Redemption of Galen Pike. Everyone, including Davies publishers, was happy for her...!

https://twitter.com/saltpublishing/status/619039093360599040

One award changed for the better, we'd say, with the new Man Booker International Prize, and Namwali Serpell showed wonderful generosity in winning the Caine Prize and sharing her winnings (bravo!).

Far less lovely, the revelations of Joanne Harris (sexism) and Nikesh Shukla (book world diversity ignorance) but necessary revelations and fully supported by us.

On a musical note, this week we've seen Johnny Marr and Sir Paul McCartney book details revealed. Plus news Tom Delonge, of Blink 182 front-man notoriety, is seeing his sci-fi novel Poet Anderson… Of Nightmares released on October 6th by Simon & Schuster.

What else? A new app in the works to help find your next read, and a tasty 10% discount on books? See here (at the bottom).

A very happy, well-read, Saturday!

Saturday Summary #3

A hopefully wholesome Saturday Summary for you today as - by the time you read this - we'll be somewhere on the Ceredigion coast seeking stories and bookish respite. Mixed news on Monday. The fallout from Independent Bookshop Week was thankfully positive indeed. Meryl Halls of the Booksellers Association said the event was now what was "always envisioned", this years was the biggest yet, and a "wonderful spectacle" was produced.

This came alongside news from the Read On. Get On coalition that 40% of boys on free school meals lacked language skills when compared to those better off (by the age of five). For girls the figure is 27%.

Chris Riddell, Children's Laureate shared this post on his Facebook page this week. It may or may not be related to the Read On. Get On report, but any parent reading to any child is, in our opinion, awesome.

Tuesday, the news that Dr. Henry Marsh picked up the PEN Ackerley Prize found us very happy indeed. It's a top title.

Apple, it seems, lost its appeal to challenge the claim that it fixed prices of ebooks, and Amazon - the company Apple's ebook approach no doubt targets - launched one day deliveries for those in certain parts of London. The service will reach other cities at later dates, but only for Prime members.

Annnd finally, the author of The Tree Climber's Guide to London has agreed a deal with Harper Colling's non-fiction department. The deal will see the tantalising title out in Spring next year. But, more importantly, author Jack Cooke wants to arrange a business meeting with our Kevin Pocock mid-canopy.

Exciting times!

Saturday Summary #2

Welcome to the second Saturday Summary, a bit later than would usually be scheduled. Sort of, but not completely because we're deciding which day to go and visit our local indie bookshop... A week for memoirs fictitious and non this week. First, news that Sir Ian McKellen has reached a deal with Hachette - rumoured to be worth around £1 million - for an as-yet unwritten title about his life. Thought to cover topics including his incredible work in theatre and film, his decision to come out as gay, and his co-founding of a gay rights group (Stonewall)...we'll bring you more when it's confirmed.

Originally reported by The Sunday Times, the full article sits behind a paywall. But if you wish to read more, Pink News adds flesh to the bones.

Rugby fans, or just fans of World Cup winner Ben Cohen MBE, might be interested to know he too is planning a book. Tuesday brought that news, but there are little details as of yet.

Wednesday taught us that Spaced, Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead and The World's End star (plus comedian, writer and actor) Nick Frost, has a confirmed release date for his 'movingly honest' memoirs, Truths, Half Truths And Utter Bullsh*t [our asterisk]. The book is due out on October 8th from Hodder and Stoughton, and in Frost's own words:

'I'm writing everything down. The sh*t, the death, fun, naughtiness, addiction, laughter, laughter, laughter, some tears and lots of love and happiness. That to me is a better reflection of a human's life.'

We also found out that Neil Gaiman's American Gods is being put into production as a TV series. There's a book to be read if you've yet to do so (and we mean us too!). The usual thoughts about adaptations run amok in our grey matter.

Thursday was the birthday of E.L James' Christian Grey - he of the Fifty Shades. And so the release of the author's latest title came about; but by Friday it was clear that Grey had provoked a mixed response.

Friday also brought news that former Welsh international rugby player, Gareth Thomas, had his autobiography Proud named Sports Book of the Year in the CROSS British Sports Book Awards. Proud had already been named CROSS Autobiography of the Year at an event earlier this month. Good going for the former player affectionately referred to as "Alfie".

Today is Saturday. And that...that means it's the start of Independent Bookshop Week 2015.

Go indies!

Saturday Summary #1

Hi, and welcome to the first Saturday Summary. Not ever anywhere, probably, but the only one that matters...err. Anyway, brief news about the book-week gone here follows!

David Nicholls' Us, is undergoing the adaptation process to a BBC drama. Us was longlisted for last year's Man Booker Prize. If you've read the book and you're looking forward to the adaptation...maybe don't. We're kidding, but adaptations are a tricky art. You could always read the book again. And if you've not read it at all, check it out.

Tuesday was Doodle day. Not only did Chris Riddell become the ninth Children's Laureate, he also unveiled his alter-ego, 'Doodle', turning each of the previous children's laureates into super/heroic authors as well. The sheer power of that man's pencil case; and he wants everyone else to enjoy drawing and doodling too - very good luck to him

Midweek came with the line-up announcement for this August's Edinburgh International Book Festival. We're making plans to attend, and think everyone who possibly can should too. Festival director, Nick Barley, told The Guardian he thinks the UK's reading habits are "an embarrassment". Oof, should we make it up, we hope to help to report on the variety being showcased.

One thing's for sure: people definitely need to give A Song of Ice and Fire author, George R.R Martin, some space!

And finally, please watch this. We think it's wonderful.

Have a good weekend, and see you next week. Perhaps we'll have a logo for this little bit.